1 Aug 2018

L’Escalier d’Écluses à Tuilières

  

Lalinde Canal - no longer used by boats

I had heard about these now unused locks (écluses)  tucked away  on the Lalinde Canal near Bergerac. Flat bottomed boats called ‘gabares’ used to carry goods down the Dordogne river to Bordeaux , but , because of the rapids at this spot, there was always a problem. So the Lalinde Canal was built and the écluses became essential  for the safe progress of trade goods. Built in 1843, this lock system is 289 metres long and drops 22 metres to the river below .




a shaded walk overlooking the canal

a stand of banana trees ???

fig trees grow everywhere here


 
the power station now blocks the river


the river is shallow here 

a quiet spot on the riverbank

the old lock keeper's cottage

the roar of the water through the gates is quite deafening

down and down it tumbles

dropping down toward the river.....

through the arch.....

and out to the open river


There are always wonderful new places to discover. 



bonne semaine







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